Tales of Dunk and Egg: The Unlikely Diplomat
by Paddy Ruthven
Summary: After the disgrace of the failed Blackfyre Rebellion at White Walls, Dunk and Egg decide to head up North. They plan on helping Old Lord Stark fight off the invading Krakens, little do they know, the Old Wolf is dead. In his place are three She-wolves fighting for their respective mens' inheritence. This will be an entirely new fight for Ser Duncan the Tall...
1. Chapter 1

Rain lashed down like sparks from the Smith's forge above, pelting the dull greens and browns of the Neck. The King's Road had transformed into a slog of well churned mud. Egg and Maester were fighting for first place in their tournament of two to look the most miserable. Egg's floppy straw brimmed hat was drooping, flattened against his head, resembling more of a towel than a hat, in truth. Maester struggled with the mud every step, hoofs sinking and jerking out like he was walking over hot coals, ears pressed flat back against his head in displeasure. Thunder wasn't faring much better.

Egg took the front brim of his hat and rolled it back so he could see "Mayhaps we could find an inn to sleep in tonight, Ser." He said in a tone as dreary as the grey sky that was wholly intent on drowning them. Egg had changed much since they had been embroiled in the Second Blackfyre rebellion. It was just as Lord Brynden had said, a Dragon had been born. He still had his insolent moments, and no mistake, but more often than not it seemed he was more commanding than pleading. Egg had certainly grown no less princely, but as once he would have complained most bitterly, now he simply remarked on the problem at hand and offered his solution. _The lad seems to be growing smarter and nobler by the day_.

Ser Duncan the Tall blew the wet hair out of his face "Feeling too royal for a little drizzle today Lad?"

"A _drizzle_ Ser?" Egg asked with that familiar insolence "No, Ser, I just don't fancy waking up amongst a nest of Lizard Lions that this downpour had washed me into while I slept."

Dunk umphed aloud. Thunder plodded along with his head down, his soaked mane plastered to his neck, like the tall weeds along the road that had been beaten to the ground by the downpour.

"Of course, the next Inn you see I'll gladly stop at." Ser Duncan glanced about with equal insolence. _Winterfell, Winterfell. If we ever make it there it'll take seven blessings indeed._ Dunk looked around, with less insolence and more serious consideration. There had been no signs of people for days, except for the road, that was. _Mud, water, trees. Not even a smattering of hovels to be seen, and we aren't even in the North yet._ "There's no sign of people at all lad, much less an inn."

Up ahead off to the right of the road there was a huge Elm stump that looked to have been cut off halfway up the tree. _That must've taken a fair share of work, and no mistake._ The branches had all been sheared off, making it one smooth column all the way up, probably half as tall as the Tower of the Hand. Dunk remembered looking up at Aegon's Hill as a boy, and thinking that all he wanted was to be one of the people important enough to go through those gates into the Red Keep. _I never thought I actually might._

As they drew closer to the wooden column Dunk noticed the strange, well hidden slits in the structure. _Arrow slits, by the Gods it's not a stump at all, it_ is _a tower._ The thought struck the big knight with the plethora of possibilities, mostly dark, that came with it. He reigned up thunder, desperate to stop before the drew any closer. Thunder came to a stop with a shake of his head, pulling the wet reigns out of Dunks hand. Maester, head down against the pelting rain, trudged head on into Thunders rump unknowingly. The war horse let out an indignant scream and threw out a sharp kick with both back feet. Maester released a terrified bray and reared up, sending Egg into the mucky track with a splash. A half moment later, Thunder reared as well, throwing Dunk with a colossal plop into the mud.

"Seven hells Maester!" Egg cursed, rolling onto his side with a squish and vainly attempting to wipe the filth off of his face.

"Thunder!" Dunk scrambled up ungracefully to catch the great horse, but it was to late. Thunder had dashed off down the road and rounded a bend out of sight.

"None of this would have happened if we'd taken that ship from Salt Pans Ser." Egg complained bitterly, shaking the mud off of his arms.

"How about I ship a clout into your ear?" Dunk threw back, raising his fist so Egg could see it, but not turning to face him. He was trudging his way down the track after the spooked horse. _Maybe the Prince was right after all._

After the second Blackfyre rebellion had died with a mouse fart, Bloodraven had given them free reign with his master of gold. They had left off with 100 golden dragons, and 200 silver stags. Egg had wanted to get a few hundred more of each so they could travel in comfort, but Dunk had swindled him down. Even with as much money as they had Dunk felt more than a little uncomfortable traveling the Kingsroad. They had used little and less since they had made off from the embarrassment at White Walls. Egg had begged for them to take a ship to White Harbor, but Dunk had refused him most brusquely. The big knight had his full of ships on the trip to Oldtown from Dorne. Just the thougt of Lamprey pie still sent an unpleasant taste rearing up his throat. He'd come to regret it.

When they'd reached the Inn at the Crossroads, they'd found Egg's Princely father, Maekar Targaryen, waiting on them there. When they'd entered Maekar was sitting in the Inn, amongst a score of his men at arms and household Knights all with the blood red sigil of the three headed dragon embroidered on their surcoats. He'd given his captain a nod, and the grizzled Knight had ordered everyone out. The inn emptied quickly, peasants staring at the ground on their way out as if they were following a breadcrumb trail to a gold hoard.

"Father" Egg had said quietly "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" the prince said coldly "the question of import is what you were doing at that writhing nest of serpents? Did you not sate your hunger for blundering into bloody disasters at Ashford _Ser!?_ " The Prince spit the last word with contempt, and the cold tone was replaced by fiery rage the Dragon Lords were so well known for. It had lasted near an hour. The Prince had raged and cursed, snarled and spit, screaming curses at Dunk that would make a Ghiscari Slaver blush. Dunks ears had grown as red as the Targaryen Dragon on the Prince's Doublet. In the End, he had demanded his son leave Dunk's service and return to SummerHall.

"This great bloody fucking fool of an ignorant lout is not fit to protect a cow pie, much less a Prince of the Blood!" Maekar had yelled throwing his hand toward Dunk. "Aegon, you will unpack all of your things from the back of that bloody Ass you've been riding. I've brought an extra stallion for you, so _Ser_ Duncancan keep his _brother_ he rides. Now." He finished with a finality that would make death ashamed. But Egg stood tall, defiant.

"No" He'd said quietly.

Prince Maekar had already been making his way towards the door; now he stopped abruptly, his back to them. His shoulders flexed, raising up towards his ears, his silvery hair falling across his black doublet as he clenched his fists. "No?" he repeated as cold and quiet as the steps The Others.

"No" Egg said again, raising his voice into confident command. "You wrong Ser Duncan, father. How was he to know it was a tourney of traitors? We simply thought we were going to a wedding, a good place to win some ransom and renown. I didn't even work out the plot myself until the second day of the jousts. Ser Duncan protected me well, he slayed Black Tom in single combat and we nearly thwarted the plot ourselves. If it wasn't for-"

"You forget yourself _boy_!" Maekar broke in "You are coming with me _now!_ I'll drag you all the way to SummerHall by your ear if need be!"

Dunk raised his eyes to meet the old Prince's deep purple ones "Mayhaps it is you who forget, Your Grace" he said quietly. "The talk we had down by the pool at Ashford. Lord Rivers said himself that a Dragon was born at White Walls, and I think he had the right of it. Daeron would've drank his way through the tourney, and never noticed ought was amiss. Aerion would have been too busy killing men's horses in the lists, and torturing entertainers for imagined slights. It could've gone worse, it's true, but it didn't. We made out fine, and helped Lord Rivers win the day, Your Grace."

Prince Maekar stood quietly for a moment, regarding Dunk Coolly. "I see my son's insolence has rubbed off on you. Mayhaps I should have it beat out of you."

"You will not father!" Egg said defiantly. Maekar looked for a moment as it he would reach out and throttle his son's long princely neck, but he only laughed. Not a kind, friendly laugh, but a cold, cynical, rattle.

"You two truly deserve each other's company." He told them, and then his white teeth vanished as abruptly as they'd appeared. "Make it a point to take my son into no more rebellions Ser Duncan. Next time I'll have to clap you in chains for treason and ship you off to the Wall."

"That's where we are headed in the first place" Egg said mischievously. "We agree on that much father. I told Ser we should've take a ship."

The old Prince simply gave a snort, and turned to leave.

' _When you dance with dragons, you're bound to get burned.'_ Someone had told Dunk once. _It's not wise to insult a Prince's royal sons to his face. Though I think he knows I had the right of it. Best not to prod that Dragon again though.'_ Dunk thought back on the boy that had entered Ashford Tourney three years ago. _I was afraid even to enter Ashford Castle to sign into the lists. My courage has grown since then, that, or my stupidity._

The colossal stump jutted up from the ground like a great wooden finger pointing at the bleak sky. "What do you make of that?" Dunk asked craning his neck back to look up at the towering column of wood. The big knight was vainly trying to lighten the mood"You ever see a tree that size? Think of how tall it was before it was cut. What about your ship now?"

"They have those on ships Ser" Egg responded, rolling his eyes.

"What you on about? No, they don't."

"Yes they do. They're called _Masts_ , Ser." Egg informed him, the days of rain had put him into a mood as drear as the sky.

 _Thick as a castle wall, dunk._ "Well" he muttered "Not any near so wide around as this."

He had been so engrossed in the structure that he jumped and felt his skin goose prickle when a voice hoarsely pronounced:

"Friends on the King's Road! Be my guests, come and get out of this rain!" A small man stepped out from the front of the tower that was facing the road. The duo jumped in unison, they'd walked right passed the man and not seen a thing. His clothing matched the surrounding countryside, dull greens and browns. His beard was thick, coarse, and long. The mossy green eyes of the man seemed to pierce Dunk right through.

"Where'd you come from?" Dunk asked, looking about confused.

"I've been here the entire time!" The small man replied with a faint smile. "Don't worry about your horse, I'll have my men fetch him." He finished, and gave a subtle signal with his hand. Dunk and Egg looked about in wonder and more than a little fear when men of the same dress stepped out from the trees all around them, shouldering bows and sheathing swords. Dunk only now noticed that his hand was on his sword, but he kept it there.

"Crannogmen, Ser" Egg whispered, stepping up close to Dunk. "I've heard they can stand so still that they become invisible to anyone that doesn't know what to look for."

"That's us" Dunk returned, at the same volume level.

"Yes!" The original speaker said "Not all rumors are myth. Not to worry though, you'll find no hostility here, only a warm hearth and dry clothes, although we may be hard pressed to find garb for a man your size." He laughed "Nonetheless, it's not every day I get to house a Prince of the Blood at my humble wayside tower. Come, eat my bread and salt, and be welcome." The small man turned and pulled on a spot that seemed to have no handle, opening a door that had no visible hinges. He gestured for them to enter. Egg and Dunk looked at each other.

"Who are you, My Lord?" Egg asked

"Ahh, I've forgotten my courtesy!" the man said with a smile "Lord Edric Reed of Greywater Watch, at your service!"


	2. Chapter 2: Tales and Tails

*Thanks for reading! Sorry it took so long to get around to a second chapter, I've been incredibly busy with college and haven't had much time for leisurely writing. If anyone would like to read some original writing of mine, I have a short story on Wattpad. Just search "The Niobe Compendium: Isolation" Enjoy!*

Chapter 2: Tales and Tails

A merry fire crackled in the hearth that was the centerpiece of the circular room. Dunk and Egg had shed their wet clothes in favor of garbs that the Crannogman had provided. The room was Spartanly furnished, but had a warm inviting feel all the same. It smelled of many old wood burned fires and swamp flowers. Edric Reed had supplied a plate of chunks of breaded bits of meat drenched in gravy of a type that Dunk had never encountered before. It had a chewy, thick texture and tasted wholly different from any type of meat that the big knight had ever tasted.

Lord Reed smiled as Dunk looked at a piece curiously before popping it into his mouth. Egg ate more slowly, looking royally content, but he ate vigorously all the same. "Please, forgive the lowly fare, Your Grace. I rarely have the pleasure of hosting a Prince of the Blood in my simple outpost."

Dunk and Egg shared a knowing look, before Dunk spoke up. "Forgive me my Lord, but you seem to be mistaken. My Squire is just a lowborn lad I found in the Reach before the Tourney of Ashford." Dunk looked to change the subject, naturally. "What is this meat, my Lord?"

Edric Reed smiled knowingly and his mossy green eyes danced with reflected fire light. "Ah, my apologies. Your Squire looks strikingly similar to the Prince I saw convening with Brynden Rivers at White Walls, after the attempted coup." Lord Reed looked intently at Egg "What you eat, Ser, is lizard lion. It was just slaughtered this morning."

Egg coughed, nearly choking on the bite he was working in his jaw, and struggled to swallow before speaking. "Lizard Lion!? You hunt those creatures? I thought they were man killers!"

Lord Reed laughed "Indeed they are, seldomly. My lands don't offer much in the way of animals for meat, so my people long ago learned to hunt the hunters." The small man was speaking with just a hint of a smile " However, if an outsider wanders into the bogs of my land, they are likely to become unwitting prey. Many times the simple rumor of threat from these creatures has protected us from our enemies. Lizard Lions have been the bane of the Ironborn over the centuries, they are incredibly hard to kill, if you have no knowledge of them. But my people know how to spot them and avoid becoming dinner. Though, not always."

The small Crannogman turned and strolled with silent footsteps to the wall where a spear hung mounted. Dunk had given the spear a passing glance, but hadn't studied it too critically. It was only now that he realized what the mammoth spear head was. A tooth. An incredibly long tooth, a time and a half the size of his own forearm and bigger around than his own thick neck.

Lord Reed paced towards them, bearing the spear with near holy reverence. "By the Gods…" Egg murmured in hushed astonishment. He'd seen dragon's teeth in the old Dragon Pit of King's Landing, but this out matched any of those. He was sure it had to rival even The Black Dread.

"Yes," Lord Reed said "I've often questioned the Gods for making creatures that continue to grow until they die." Edric stared down at the tooth, running his hand along it thoughtfully.

"How was it killed?" Dunk finally asked.

Egg forgot his food and leaned forward in his chair towards the little Crannogman, elbow on his knees and chin resting in his hands. Dunk appraised his squire, _He is still just a boy. I often think of him as My ward and Squire first, and then my prince. He has not entirely left his childhood behind, and I must give more thought to that. The ways of the world will bear down upon his shoulders soon enough, I should give him the opportunity to be a boy as long as I can._

Edric Reed took the seat across from Dunk and Egg, back straight, and laid the spear across his knees. The flicker returned to his bright green eyes as he spoke. "It was many years ago, before the dragons came to bend the knees of the realm. One of my forebears was tracking a great stag that had made its way into the Bog, on a day just like this. It was then, and is now, rare for a stag to be found in my land. The beasts know better than to wander into the swamps. They will get stuck in sucking sand, or caught in a thorn patch, or killed and eaten by a Lizard Lion. It is a rare opportunity for my people to get stag meat, so my ancestor tracked it relentlessly into the stormy night. He was called Rymald." The little man paused for a moment and bowed his head. Egg and Dunk shared a glance, Dunk raising his eyebrows questioningly. Egg simply shrugged.

Lord Edric looked up suddenly and continued "On through the night he tracked it. Through the dark, the wind, and the rain, lightning split the sky and called down the thunder of the Gods, but on Rymald hunted. On and on he followed the beast, through lizard lion nests, thorn patches, and sucking sand. The stag seemed just to remain out of range of sight, as if it knew it was being followed. Through mud and muck, under tree and over rise, on and on Rymald tracked the beast under the stormy night sky. Until at last he caught it." Lord Reed paused here and fingered the point of the great tooth.

Egg leaned in so much it looked as if he'd fall off of the edge of his seat. Dunk smiled faintly to see the boy so entertained, and looked back to the little Crannogman, who looked far away. Ser Duncan found himself leaning forward as well, when Lord Reed has been speaking it was as if the story had played out in the air between them.

Edric Reed looked up, a profound sadness clouding his bright green eyes. "What happened next nearly brought on the ruin of my house. There stood the stag on a low rise among the bogs, shafts of moonlight casting it in pearl light where the storm clouds had parted. Rymald knocked his arrow, and let fly. His aim was true, but he heard a strange cry from the beast when his shaft struck home. Immediately the break in the storm passed, and the earth was pounded once more by heavenly waters. Rymald made his way through the water to where the stag had stood, but when he arrived, there was no stag at all. Only a small woman with an arrow in her shoulder. He fell to his knees beside her in confusion and despair, he was certain his eyes had not deceived him, and he'd touched the stag's tracks with his own hands. The little woman was of a kind foreign to him, her hair was a dark green, like midsummer leaves. Her skin was a dark brown like bark, dappled and striped-"

"A Child of the Forest!?" Egg interrupted. "I thought they were only stories for the children!"

Lord Reed smiled "Perhaps. But much wisdom is passed to our young that we should heed ourselves. You must ask yourself- why did it become tradition for us to share this with our children at all?"

Ser Duncan was now wholly invested. "Forgive my Squire's lapse in courtesy, my Lord. Please, go on."

Lord Reed only smiled mischievously at Dunk, as if they shared a secret. "Once Raymald discovered she was alive, he picked her up and carried her into a cleft on the side of the rise to bind her wound. When the Lord managed to get a fire going, he was stricken by her beauty. He had never seen anything of her like before, and he was wholly enamoured of her.

Raymald refused to stray too far from her, staying by her side while she healed. The first day he went and shot some fowl to feed her, but she would not partake. He was forced to go and collect some berries and roots to feed her, so she could regain her strength.

On the third day, Lord Raymald had made up his mind. "My Lady, you must return to my keep with me, I would take you as my wife."

"No" She told him "I am no lady as you know it, only a lady of the forest. Therefore I am not my own to give. I belong to all that grows and thrives."

So Raymald relented momentarily, going out to collect more food for her. On the sixth day, he asked again. "My lady, I would have you. Have I not cared for you and nursed you back to health?"

"No" She replied once again "One may care for the coin he possesses, but only out of the greed and desire it incites, and he who plants a seed in the place of a tree that he cuts down is not forgiven by the tree that was felled."

Raymald was rebuffed, and so he went out and collected water to boil to wash clean her wound. On the ninth day, he told her "My lady, I will have you. I have cared for you nine days now."

"No" She responded once more "One cannot have that which cannot be grasped."

"But I can grasp you" Raymald said, frustrated and overcome with desire now. He prepared to take her there under the rise in the swamp.

"You may deflower me if you wish" She told him "but take heed: one cannot throw a stone into the water without causing a splash."

Lord Raymald did not take heed. He defiled the Forest's Child there in the cleft under the rise. After a few more days of ensuring her recovery and sating his desire on her, Raymald left her there under the cleft and made his way home. He had been missed by his people, but never told the true tale of his time away.

All was well in his land for many years. There was a new lady of Solidstone, Raymald's family keep, and he fathered ten healthy children on her. But years later, on the eve of the night he had shot the stag, terrible news reached his keep.

A servant ran into the Hall that night, pale as a wight, and made as if to speak but couldn't. Lord Raymald was vexed. "Well, what is it?" The Lord asked the servant "why have you disturbed my sup?"

"My Lord, your son" the servant seemed barely able to speak the words "he was playing outside the keep… We've found him" Raymald Reed forgot his appetite instantly, and rushed outside to the spot the servant had described to him.

His son was indeed found, but only half of him. It was as if he'd been bitten clean in half." At this moment Egg had been guiding a bite to his mouth, and it fell into his lap. His face was as white as snow. Lord Reed had a way of telling the story that seemed to bring it to life in front of their eyes.

"Lord Raymald organized a hunting party to find and kill the beast, and he led it himself. Many Lizard Lions were killed, but none of them had jaws that matched the bite marks on his son.

A year passed without incident, until it came again to the anniversary of that fateful eve. His daughter's playmates had coming running in during the Lord's council meeting with his chiefs, screaming and crying about a giant beast. This time all they found of his child was an arm. The Lord organized another hunting party, and again many lizard lions were slaughtered, but none that fit the description of the girl.

This went on for seven more years, and the lord lost all of his children except one. The night before the anniversary of his meeting the Child of the Forest, the Lord went out upon his tall walls of Solidstone. "Take no more of my children!" Raymald Reed screamed into the darkness "Come and face me!"

The Lord got his wish. That night, a minute passed midnight, a great thrashing and crashing awoke the lord. Shrieks of terror emanated from all throughout Solidstone. It sounded as if the Forest itself had mounted an assault upon his high stone walls. The Lord ran up to his highest tower and looked out to see who the attackers were.

The beast had come. A colossal demon from the age of heroes, it batted down his stone walls with a swipe of its tail like they were playthings. It bit through his towers like mere cornstalks. Raymald hurried to his rooms and ordered his wife to take their last remaining child and flee. Then he grabbed his sword and made his way to the castle yard.

"Monster!" Raymald challenged "Stop this madness! It's me you want!"

The beast stopped it's thrashing and turned to look at him. It's eyes were not that of a maddened animal, but that of an injured human. For a long time the two simply stood there, gazing at each other. Then, Raymald charged, sword raised. The beast stood its ground, and quick as a snake, snipped his arm off with its massive jaws, sword and all. Then it turned and fled back into the swamps.

His keep had emptied in the chaos, and Raymald lay there alone, bleeding out into the mud, until he passed out. When the Lord awoke, an old crone tended him, her withered features gently illuminated by the fire she'd struck up. He found that his wound was expertly bound, the bleeding staunched.

"Thank you for treating me" Raymald said "who are you?"

"I've worked in your keep for many years, you simply never bothered to notice me."

Raymald was perplexed "How did you survive the monsters wrath?"

"I was in no danger" the crone tisked "it was not me it came for."

"What do you mean?" Raymald queried "speak plainly!"

"No creature of the swamp would behave in such a fashion" the crone told him "you have angered a warg."

"What is a warg?" Raymald asked "why have you not told me this sooner? Nine children I have lost!"

"You give no heed to those who serve you. Your house has forgotten much. A skinchanger, they are infrequently born into your line. One who can step into the minds of beasts and manipulate them to their own ends."

Now Raymald was truly disturbed, because his hunt of the stag now made sense to him, though he said nothing of it to the crone.

"Take heed, ere you go hunting for a skinchanger. Wargs form a lifelong bond with their beasts, and if one is killed, the other is often driven to madness." With that, the crone got up and walked away into the night.

"Thank you, grandmother." Raymald called after her, but there was no reply from the darkness.

After making sure his wife and last remaining heir were safe, Lord Reed set out on his hunt. From village to village he went, asking after any sign of a strange small person. None of his people seemed to have seen such a one. Raymald had begun to give up hope when he stumbled upon a small, isolated fishing hut in the very heart of the swamp.

The old man told him that a small, strangely colored, twisted man sometimes came to trade with him. The old man said that he knew the cave it lived in and led the Lord to it. Raymald thanked him with gold.

Outside the cave, the Lord saw no giant tracks, or uprooted trees, which would surely be signs of the monster that had taken his arm. The Lord was steeled, and prepared himself to slay the little woman he'd taken under the cleft of the rise so many years ago. But when he entered the cave, she was nowhere to be seen.

In her place was only a small, strangely colored, malformed man of indeterminable age. The little man looked at him with nothing but sadness in his eyes.

"So" the twisted man said "at last you have come to me."

"Yes" said Raymald, drawing his sword "I will have blood price for the children that you have taken from me, warg. I now have only one son left, to follow me after I've left this world."

"You are mistaken. You have two sons, father."

Lord Raymald Reed was confused only for a moment, until it all fell into place. He fell to his knees, and let his sword clatter to the floor. "My son" Raymald uttered "you should've come to me long ago. I would've taken you in graciously, now though, I will not make a kinslayer of myself."

"Why would I wish to endear myself to the man who took the daughter of the swamp without leave?" The son replied "My very existence should not have been, my mother died birthing me. I have revenged her upon you every night on the anniversary of your meeting."

"Aye, I wronged her. But you have made yourself a kinslayer nine times over. I ask you now to leave my last child in peace, and take my life instead." Raymald handed his son the sword, knowing his guards were not far behind. "Take your final blood price and let us be done with it."

And so the warg did. The Lord's guards came to the cave a short time later, and finding their Lord dead, they cut the little man down without question. It is said that all throughout the swamp a great bellowing and thrashing was heard, and a glade was found where all the trees had been uprooted, smashed, sheared in half, or broken.

The Lady Reed, Raymald's wife, was assisted by the wise old crone that had attended Raymald in raising their last remaining son. Our moving fortress, Greywater Watch, was build afterwards, to avoid being found by the maddened beast."

"It was never killed!?" Egg asked "is it still alive!?" The young Squire shivered.

"Some say on the anniversary eve of when the Child was pierced by Raymald's arrow, a great crashing and booming can he heard throughout the swamp, and some folk still go missing." Lord Reed said.

Egg looked thoughtful "and" he paused, afraid to ask his next question or afraid what the answer might be "what time of year is that?"

Lord Reed laughed, "No need to worry yourself lad, they're only stories for the children after all."

Dunk and Egg looked at each other simultaneously, remembering what the Lord had said about stories for the children.


	3. Chapter 3: Plans and Purpose

Chapter 3 Plans and Purpose

The trio sat in silence after Lord Reed had finished his tale as the fire crackled and popped. Egg was caught up in wonder at the magic of the Crannogman's story. He stewed in contemplation over the small, twisted man that had controlled the mammoth lizard lion. My family controlled dragons. I wonder if they were wargs as well. The Targaryens of old would've had no problem with the monster, they would've simply bathed it in fire with one of their dragon mounts.

After a time Lord Reed spoke up "fetch us some wine" he commanded, but there was no one in the the room other than them. A few moments later a servant appeared, as if from no where, bearing a pitcher and three cups. When one was filled and handed to Egg, the young Squire looked askingly at Dunk.

"Only one" Dunk said with a soft sternness.

They all sipped in silence for several long moments. Egg thought the taste was bittersweet, but his head began to feel light, and a bubbly happiness surged up from his belly, flooding his limbs. The Squire found himself smiling slightly for no reason.

"Where does your path lead?" The small Lord uttered in a quiet voice that rang with a sad curiosity. He never looked away from the burning wood as he swirled the wine in his cup. His eyes seemed far away.

Dunk thought the Crannogman might be asking more than it appeared, but he answered practically. "We plan to head to Winterfell, to help The Old Wolf in his battle with the Ironmen." Dunk told him "and then we wish to see The Wall."

Egg perked up at the mention of The Wall "Have you seen it?" he asked with the bright enthusiasm only a child can wield "is it as big as the stories say?"

Lord Reed looked at the boy fondly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Bigger" he said with a wink "no words can truly do it justice. A man must look upon it with his own eyes to truly grasp the scale of it. It will make a man truly appreciate the power that the heroes of old held."

Egg looked to Dunk "We must get there, Ser."

"We will" Dunk said reassuringly. "I want to see it just as bad as you, lad."

"You shouldn't take the Kings Road through Most Cailin." Edric Reed told them "It is guarded well while there is war. The soldiers there exact a high toll to enter The North, and they could bar you completely from entering."

Dunk looked perplexed, thinking of all the coins in his pouch. It'd be best not to spend any at all, and we can't chance not being allowed to enter! "We'll have to back track for weeks to take a ship" he said.

Egg was bold since he'd gotten some wine in him "I told you, Ser. We should've taken a ship to White Harbor."

Ser Duncan looked at Egg in frustration. The wine had gone to his head as well, but before he could muster an angry response, Lord Reed spoke up.

"There are other ways" The Lord said. "Other trails that you could take. These are my lands, I could lead you."

"That would be very kind my Lord," Egg said "you have our thanks"

Ser Duncan shot Egg a look, the wine had made the lad bold. The big knight wasn't comfortable around Lords, even one so kind as Edric Reed. He'd only ever gotten into trouble when he'd mixed up with his betters. He preferred to spend as little time in their presence as possible.

Lord Reed nodded solemnly. "I had planned to send a few men to Winterfell to help with the war. You may travel with them. The North is a large, wild country, and the bigger the group the safer you will be."

"You won't be heading North with us?" Dunk asked apprehensively.

"No, I must remain here and tend to my own country" Lord Reed informed him "although I know I will be sorely missed" he added with a wink at Dunk.

The big knight relaxed a little, although the insight of the small Crannogman unsettled him a little, it seems that he knows everything, even the thoughts in my head.

The room they were taken to was large and circular, with small arrow slits just like the rest of the tower. The walls were lined with bunks, and soft snores and grunts could already be heard from various beds when the pair entered the room. The duo found a bunk with both top and bottom empty, and they took their beds; Egg on top, Duncan on bottom.

Soon after Egg had made himself comfortable, he heard Dunk snoring softly. The sound was soothing to Egg, knowing that his knight was nearby. Sleep didn't come easily to him, despite the relaxed feeling he'd gotten from the wine. His thoughts swirled with ancient tales of Children of the Forest, wargs, heroes of old, and most of all, dragons. Eventually, the young prince drifted into a troubled sleep.

Egg walked through a dark, muddy forest. The ground was clear of any underbrush, so he made his way forward easily. He was sure of where he was going, he knew the way, he just couldn't remember the destination itself. The odd shaft of light pierced the forest's canopy, casting small pools of light on the ground. Vines lounged here and there, with trailers of moss hanging from them like a woman's unkempt hair.

The Young Prince made his way forward confidently, passed great moss covered trunks and lazy vines. Eventually his path was blocked by a strange fallen tree, sheared of its branches. The trunk was entirely covered in moss, leaving it a dark green color. It stretched far in either direction, so Egg approached it and was forced to walk alongside it. It was several steps beside the trunk before the prince realized it's odd texture. It was rough, like a file, and ridged. Almost like… scales. The thought came to late, the tree trunk seemed to deflate, and Egg heard a large Huff of wind, like an exhale. He ran.

As he dashed along the trail, trees flying by him, he heard a great thrashing and cracking sound coming from behind him. A great hiss emanated, and the snapping sounds got closer. He chanced a look behind him, and the massive lizard lion was too close. The monsters eyes had a look of determined hatred only a human could possess. At that moment his foot caught on a root, and the ground rushed up to smack him, hard. All of his wind abandoned him.

Egg forced himself to his hands and knees, desperately trying to fill his lungs. When he looked up, his path was blocked by the high walls of the Red Keep, it towered above him, standing stalwart against the forest like a boulder in a stream. But something was wrong. The keep was in disrepair, many towers collapsed and roofs caved in. The keep was covered in snow, like layers of dust in an old room that had been closed off for years.

In his amazement at the sudden appearance of his home, he'd forgotten his immediate peril. The prince remembered too late. A puff of warm wind ruffled his clothes, and Egg slowly turned around.

The beast was face to face with him, it's great head lowered to his level. Hatred burned in its eyes. Quick as lightning, it snapped him into its jaws. Three times it chewed before swallowing. Egg screamed as the massive teeth punched through him like a sword through parchment. Then everything went black.

He opened his eyes in a place so dark that closing them made no difference. Egg touched himself gently, feeling for the places his body had been punctured with the monster's teeth, but there were no holes. His body felt different, it was more muscled, and there was hair in places were there had been none before. His attentive puzzlement was broken when two dotted lines of light sparked into being before him.

As he approached them, he was illuminated by the strange light. The prince was now a man grown. He was garbed in kingly garments of red and black silks. He felt a weight upon his head, and when he reached up tentatively to feel what he donned, a crown was there. The points of light grew into focus as he got closer, and they appeared to be Eggs.

The first row cracked and opened as he passed them, and small dragons crawled out. They puffed little balls of smoke and flame as the prince passed, gazing at them in wonder. Each row of eggs he passed grew larger, and the dragons that sprang forth from them became larger as well. Egg wanted desperately to stop and inspect the beasts, to touch them, feel them, but some magical force drove him forward.

The prince continued taking unwilling steps passed massive dragons until a dais appeared in front of him. Seven bright kings stood upon it, light emanated from them as if they were made from starlight itself. Some of them were dressed in beautiful silks and satins, others in bright shining armor. All of them had silvery hair of various cuts and styles, and deep purple eyes. Egg felt small and haggard by comparison.

"They have forgotten" said the king in the middle, his voice a raspy wist that seemed to echo through the darkness.

"Who?" Egg asked. His voice sounded shrill and childlike by comparison "forgotten what?"

"Light must be returned to the world" Said the king directly to the right of the center. He was in a silvery armor of a style Egg had never seen, its colors shifted with ripples in the light. "Or else darkness will reign forever."

"What must I do?" Egg asked, but the light of the kings began to flicker and fade. A great head, as wide as the dais, appeared from the darkness behind them. It was a white dragon, it's eyes a crisp blue.

"Egg"

It raised its head, sucking in a great breath of air, and along with it the kings warped and stretched, disappearing down its gullet.

"Egg"

A flame of myraid blues surged from the beast's throat, hurtling towards the prince. He squatted down and threw up his arms to shield himself. His clothes began to burn as the flames grew closer, and then-

"Egg!"

Aegon awoke, and sitting up quickly he slammed his head on the ceiling. The Squire fell back into the bed rubbing his head with his hands and groaning.

"That's going to welt" Dunk said peering over the edge of the bed at him. "Up lad, we're breaking our fast and then Lord Reed is leading us out." Egg groaned once more.

The was a small dining hall on the bottom floor of the tower, with circular tables and a large hearth. A fire was roaring and the Crannogmen chatted merrily as they ate. These folk seemed to be content at all times of the day.

Dunk and Egg took a seat at a table with two other small bearded men who greeted them kindly. They broke their fast on fried frog legs, some type of bitter root they'd never tasted before (Egg immediately decided it wasn't for him,) and cinnamon steamed crabapples.

"I hardly fit in that bed last night" Dunk lamented as he chewed a bite of the bitter root.

"It didn't seem to keep you awake for long, Ser." Egg replied, closely inspecting a frog leg before he bit into it.

"Aye" Dunk said through a mouthful "I make good use of a real bed when I get the chance to enjoy one"

After they'd gathered what few things they had, the duo exited the tower into the stormy morning. The rain had hardly let up at all. They found their mounts already saddled and fed. Seven Crannogmen of roughly the same height, stature, and dress stood about in a circle, with Lord Reed in the center. They were speaking a strange tongue unknown to either knight or Squire. Finally, the Lord turned to them.

"Good morrow, friends." Lord Reed said with a soft smile "The rain won't be as bad once we get into the forest, but I'm afraid you'll have to go on foot and lead your mounts. The paths are narrow and the branches low. I had your saddlebags filled with more food that should last you the remainder of your trip. There's hardly an inn to be found between the Neck and Winterfell"

Egg thought of the root from their breakfast and frowned slightly. Dunk looked at him as if to say don't earn yourself a clout in the ear.

"You have our thanks, my Lord." Dunk said.

"Very well. It is a long trek before we get to another sheltered place. We must be off if we're to reach it before nightfall. No one wants to be caught in the swamp after dark." Eric Reed added grimly.

The group walked up the Kings Road a ways before they turned off left, onto a barely perceptible path. Dunk and Egg were last in the line, with only one man taking up the rear behind them.

Egg shivered and felt his hair stand on end, as his nightmare dash through the forest last night popped into the forefront of his mind.

Then, they were swallowed up by the forest.


End file.
